British lawyers stage a protest over the governmentâ„¢s plans to slice a further £220 million from the criminal legal aid budget.
Several hundred British lawyers have staged a protest over the governmentâ„¢s plans to slice a further £220 million from the criminal legal aid budget and remove defendants’ ability to choose a solicitor.
Carrying placards and chanting slogans, British lawyers blocked the road outside the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) in central London on Tuesday to express their anger against plans to slash legal aid spending.
Protesters were carrying placards reading, “One law for the rich”, “Democracy under threat” and “Defend legal aid.
The shadow justice minister, Andy Slaughter, MP David Lammy and human right groups, including Liberty and Reprieve, were among those present at the demonstration.
“Squeezing out decent criminal practitioners will drive down standards and inevitably lead to miscarriages of justice. Meanwhile, the government protects itself from effective challenge by restricting legal aid for judicial review,” said James Welch, legal director of Liberty.
Barristers and solicitors condemned the Justice Secretary Chris Graylingâ„¢s proposals, saying they would destroy Britain’s international reputation for justice and fair trials.
Earlier in May, a mass protest organized by the London Criminal Courts Solicitors Association (LCCSA) was held outside the Houses of Parliament to oppose the plans to cut legal aid budget.
The UK government is seeking to save about £350 million from its £2.2 billion annual bill for legal aid by removing public funding in many areas of civil law, including family disputes, advice on some employment and education law as well as some debt and housing issues.
MOS/SSM/HE
This article originally appeared on: Press TV